Stop motion for wrap stripe machines



March 24, 1953. w. c. TUCKER 2,632,321

STOP MOTION FOR WRAP STRIPE MACHINES Filed Feb. 18, 1952 INVENTORY WILLIAM C. TUCKER.

5 BY *M ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 24, 1953 STOP MOTION FOR WRAP STRIPE MACHINES William 0. Tucker, High Point, N. 0., assignor of one-third to Julia Austin Tucker and one-third to Sumter Marion Austin, both of High Point, N. C.

Application February 18, 1952, Serial No. 272,147

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates to circular knitting machines and more especially to an improved stop motion adapted to be associated with the wrap head of a wrap stripe knitting machine.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application entitled Wrap Stripe Stop Motion, Serial Number 188,035, filed October 2, 1950, now Patent No. 2,589,646.

In said co-pending application, an improved stop motion for the wrap head of a knitting machine is disclosed which comprises clamping means in-the form of a thread clamppivotal-ly supported on the table of the wrap head adjacent each of the stobs which support the package or tubes of yarn, and to which the tail of the yarn is clampingly connected. The clamping means is pivoted and has stop means associated therewith being automatically released upon the last few turns of yarn on the corresponding tubes being withdrawn therefrom and which causes the clamping means to be pivoted or elevated by the pull of the yarn. Thus, the stop means is released to engage a suitable mechanism for actuating the conventional stop motion on the knitting machine.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a stop motion substantially of the character disclosed in said co-pending application but being of lighter construction, having a lesser number of parts and thus being more easily responsive to a very light tension in the tail of yarn as it is withdrawn from the tube and being more economical to manufacture than that of said co-pendin application.

More specifically, it is an object of this in- 1 vention to provide a stop motion actuating deyice of the character described which is adapted to be secured on the table of a wrap head adjacent each of the tubes of yarn and which may be formed from sheet material, such as sheet metal, wherein a relatively small piece of sheet metal is folded over upon itself at one 1 side thereof to form a tubular portion and is bent upwardly at one end to form a closure tab which closes one end of the tubular portion, this closure tab having a hole therethrough through which the reduced portion of a centrifugally operable plunger extends, the larger portion of the plunger being mounted for free longitudinal sliding movement in the tubular portion radially of the table of the wrap head.

A pivoted arm is also formed from sheet material, such as sheet metal, in substantially the shape of an inverted channel which normally straddles the tubular portion and is pivotally 2 connected to the tubular portion at a point remote from the closed end of the tubular portion, the pivot pin also serving to limit movement of the plunger inwardly in the tubular portion. The free end of thearm is also bent downwardly to be positioned forwardly of the closed end of the tubular portion to thereby normally prevent the plunger from moving outwardly under the centrifugal force created by rotation of thewrap head.

Thesaid arm has a leaf spring member supported thereon by a projection on the outer surface of the arm and this leaf spring member bears against the upper surface of said arm to clamping-1y hold the tail of yarn from an ad- J'acent bobbin or tube of yarn. Thus, upon the yarn. being substantially exhausted from the adjacent tube of yarn, the tail of yarn, as it is pulled upwardly, raises the free end of the said arm to permit the plunger to move outwardly to subsequently contact and actuatean intermediate means to, in turn, actuate the usual stop motion of the knitting machine.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of the upper part of a wrap stripe mechanism of a circular knitting machine with parts omitted and other portions being broken away and showing the improved stop motion actuating means in association therewith;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view with parts in section looking substantially along line 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantially along line 33 in Figure 2, showing the stop motion actuating means in inoperative position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevation, looking substantially along the line i l in Figure 2, showing a portion of the wrap head table in crosssection and showing the stop motion actuating means in an operative position;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view looking at the left-hand side of Figure 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral It broadly designates a bracket rising upwardly from the body portion of a circular M, only fragmentary portions of which are shown in the drawings, since the structure of the usual wrap stripe attachment is well known to those familiar with the art and is fully disclosed insaid co-pending application and in such patents as Numbers 1,853,020 and 1,906,204.

The wrap stripe attachment for the wrap head l4 include a substantially circular lower table l5 and a substantially circular upper table 16 spaced substantially above the lower table 15, which tables are supported and driven to rotate in unison about a vertical axis. .The lower table I5 is provided with a plurality of upstanding cone holders, tube holders or stobs I] which are arranged in a circle adjacent the outer edge of the circular lower table [5. Each of these stobs H is provided with a reduced threaded portion 20 on the lower end thereof threadahly em' bedded in the table I5-.

The upper table [6 is provided with a plurality of circularly spaced brackets 2i suitably secured around the periphery thereof, only one of which is'shown in Fi ure '1. Each of the brackets 2i has pivotally mounted therein a yarn tension take-up lever '22 having a hook in its free end over which the wrap yarn W is adapted to pass. The outer end of each of the tension levers 22 has a hook portion adapted to be hooked into an upwardly projecting member 23 secured to atenion disk 24 slidably mounted on a post 25. The

tension disk 24 is normally urged downwardly bya' compression spring .26 surrounding said post, the tension in the compression spring being adjusted by a suitable thumb 'nut 21.

,A fixed tension disk or bracket is suitably secured .to each of the brackets 24 and against which the movable tension disk 23 is urged by the compression spring 26. The tension members 2'2 and the associated parts heretofore de- 7 scribed may be of the type substantailly shown in United States Patent No. 2,430,633 of November 11, 1947, and also include a member pivoted at each of the brackets 2| and having an outwardly and upwardly projecting portion 3| and inwardly and downwardly projecting hook portion or member ,32.

Each of the stobs or cone holders H is adapted to support a suitable bobbin cone or tube of wrap yarn indicated at 35. The wrap yarn passes upwardly from each of the cones .or tubes 3 5 and between the corresponding two tension disks 24 and 30 and through a suitable opening in the bracket 2 I, then through the hook member 32 and then beneath a yarn uide ring 36, only a portion of which is shown in Figure l. The yarn guide ring 36 is suitably secured to the upper table IS. The wrap yarn W then passes upwardly through the hook on the free end of each of the corresponding levers 23 and then extends downwardly to the usual knitting instrumentalities, not shown. Each of the yarn tension levers 22 is normally urged upwardly against the teension of the yarn W by means of a tension spring 31 connected thereto and having its upper end connected to a spring anchor 38 secured on the corresponding bracket 2 I.

The parts heretofore described are the usual parts of a wrap stripe mechanism of a knitting machine audit is with these parts that the present invention is adapted to be associated. It is evident, however, that there are many other types of yarn tension devices and stop motion actuating mechanisms which may be mounted on the upper table IE to perform the functions of the apparatus heretofore described, the particular apparatus described being shown by way of illustration only.

During operation of the machine, upon the wrap yarn W being severed on either side of the yarn tension apparatus, of which the tension levers 22 are parts, it is evident that the member 32 will swing upwardly resulting in the outer portion 3! thereof being swung to assume substantially the horizontal position. Suitable means, not shown in the present drawings but being clearly shown in Patent Numbers 2,403,633 and 2,4726%, are usually provided which are engaged by the portion 3| of the member 32 for actuating the .conventional stop motion of the machine, this stop motion being of a type such as is shown in Patent Number 2,389,688.

Also, an intermediate or auxiliary stop motion actuating means, broadly designated at E0, is provided which operates .in conjunction with the present invention, this intermediate actuating means being of the type disclosed in said copending application. The intermediate stop motion actuating means d0 may be of the type having a housing 4i suitably secured to the platform l3, as by' screws 42 and which housing has an auxiliary plunger '43 mounted for longitudinal sliding movement therein and which is normally biased to move in the direction indicated by the arrow "in Figure 2.

One end of the plunger 43 has a Bowden wire t3 connected thereto which, upon movement of the spring loaded auxiliary plunger 43 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 2, will move therewith for operating the conventional stop motion of the knitting machine. A spring loaded latch member 415 is pivoted at one end of the housing M and is normally biased against one side of the housing 4! by a leaf spring member 46. This latch member 45 operates to normally maintain the plunger 43 in inoperative position, as is clearly shown in said co-pending application.

The housing 4| has a cam ll pivotally mounted thereon, as at 50, this cam 41 being shown as substantially rectangular in Figure 2. The cam 3! has a radially extending finger 5| thereon, the free end of which terminates in closely spaced relation to the periphery of the lower table [5. The latch member 35 also bears against the cam M, normally causing the cam to extend outwardly in substantially .right angular relation to the latch member 45.

The improved stop motion actuating mecha nism comprises brackets or supports each broadly designated at 55 and each of which, for purposes of simplicity of manufacture, is shown as being formed from sheet metal. It is to be understood, however, that each of the brackets 55 may be formed of any other desired sheet material. Each of the brackets '55 comprises a planar portion 55 which is bent at one edge upwardly and then inwardly and then downwardly to form a tubular portion 57 which is opened at opposite ends thereof. The outer or front end of the tubular portion 51 is closed by an upwardly bent closure portion or tab integral with the planar portion of the bracket 55. This closure tab 60 extends beyond the opposite side of the tubular portion 51 relative to the planar portion 56 and is then bent inwardly or rearwardly at an angle to form a cutter blade portion 6| which is sharpened at its rear edge at 62 for a purpose to be later described.

Each of the brackets 55 is secured to the upper surface of the lower table l5 of the'wrap head or attachment l4 by means of the reduced threaded portion 20 of the corresponding stob l1 penetrating the same and, also, by means of a screw 63, the outer or front surface of the bracket 55 being spaced inwardly of the periphery of the lower table l5. An enlarged portion 64 of a centrifugally operable stop motion plunger 65 is mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in the tubular portion 51 formed integral with the planar portion 56 of the bracket 55. This plunger 65 is adapted to move substantially radially of the axis of the table I5.

The plunger 55 also has a reduced outer or front end portion 66 integral therewith which slidably penetrates the upturned tab or lip portion 60 integral with the planar portion 56 of the bracket 55. A limiting arm or latch, broadly designated at 67 is also formed from sheet material, such as sheet metal, substantially in the shape of an inverted channel member having downwardly projecting ears or side portions integral there with which are pivotally mounted on opposite ends of a pivot pin 69, which also serves as a stop pin, since the pivot pin 59 penetrates the tubular portion 57 of the bracket 55 and limits inward or rearward movement of the plunger 65 toward the Y axis of the table I5.

of the table l5. It will be noted that the side portions or ears 10 of the arm 61 terminate short of the tab 1| so the horizontal portion of the arm 61 may normally rest upon the tubular portion 5'! of the bracket 55 and these down-turned side portions 10 will not engage the upturned closure portion 60 of the bracket 55.

The upper wall or horizontal portion of the arm 61 has an upwardly bulging portion 12 formed intermediate the ends thereof which is open or slotted at opposite ends thereof and which serves to support the medial portion of a leaf spring clamping member 13, this leaf spring clamping member 73 extending beneath the upwardly bulging portion 12 and normally being held against the upper surface of the arm 67 by the upwardly bulging portion 12. The inner or rear end of the leaf spring member 13 has an enlarged portion 14 integral therewith which is provided with an opening 15 in which a second upwardly bulging portion 16 formed in the upper I wall of the arm 61 is adapted to fit to thus assist in securing the leaf spring member 13 to the upper surface of the arm 61.

The manner in which the leaf spring member 13 is secured to the arm 6! permits easy removal thereof for replacement or the like.

It will be noted that the free end of the leaf spring member 73 is turned upwardly slightly or away from the arm 61, and also extends outwardly or forwardly slightly beyond the downturned tab H to facilitate the ingress of a yarn tail between the leaf spring member 13 and the upper surface of the arm 61 for clampingly securing the yarn tail to the arm 61. When the yarn tail is inserted between the arm 61 and the leaf spring member 13, the tail may be severed by means of the blade 5!, heretofore described.

Now, upon the yarn being substantially exhausted from the associated cone or tube 35, the upward pull of the yarn W will cause the yarn clamping member or limiting arm 6'! to swing upwardly substantially from the position shown in Figure 3 to substantially the position shown in Figure 4 and, due to rotation of the table l5, centherewith and to, in turn, partially rotate the cam 41. This causes the cam 4'! to move the latch member 45 outwardly and, of course, this will release the auxiliary plunger 43 from the latch member 45, permitting the same to move in the direction of the arrow shown in the left-hand lower portion of Figure 2. It is evident that this will cause the Bowden wire 44 to move in a like direction to actuate the conventional stop motion, not shown. This conventional stop motion may be of a type such as is shown in Patent Number 2,389,688 or Number 2,430,633. A new bobbin, cone or tube may then be placed on the stob l1 and the yarn thereon may be connected to the tail of yarn previously extending from the previous bobbin or tube and it will not be necessary to rethread the yarn.

Upon the knitting machine being stopped, in the manner heretofore described, the bobbin or cone of yarn l1 may be replaced and the correthe yarn from any one of the tubes or cones I! being exhausted and which includes means for clampingly holding the yarns to prevent the same from being withdrawn through the conventional tension devices, such as the tension levers 22. This, of course, saves considerable time in the replacing of empty tubes 35 with filled tubes of yarn as well as providing a simply constructed apparatus which may, consequently, be economically manufactured from a minimum of parts and does not require that any modification whatsoever be made in the knitting machine. 7

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine having a revolving wrap stripe mechanism including a rotatable table having a plurality of circularly spaced stobs thereon for holding yarn cones filled with wrap yarn, movable yarn clamping means associated with each of said stobs for clamping the tails of yarn on said cone, a movable plunger'carried by said rotatable table in association with each of said movable yarn clamping means, a plunger restraining tab integral with said yarn clamping mg tab on the corresponding clamping means moving away from the outer end of the plunger, intermediate stop motion actuating mechanism disposed adjacent the revolving wrap stripe mechanism, and said plungers being adapted to actuate "said intermediate stop motion actuating mechanism to stop the knitting machine upon exhaustion of yarn from any one or more of said cones.

2. In a knitting machine having a stop motion and having a rotatable wrap stripe means provided with means for holding a plurality of cones of wrap stripe yarn thereon, ce'ntrifugally operable means for effecting operation of the stop motion comprising a movable plunger disposed adjacent each of the means for holding the cones,

"a pivoted arm disposed adjacent each plunger,

a plunger restraining tab on each of said pivoted arms normally positioned outwardly of and in --eng-age'ment with the outer end of the corresponding plunger for normally limiting outward movement or" the corresponding plunger, means on each pivoted arm for securing a tail of yarn from the corresponding cone of yarn thereto, whereby, upon the yarn being exhausted from anyone of said cones, the tail thereof will cause 'the pivoted arm to swing in one direction to move the corresponding plunger restraining tab away from the outer end of the corresponding plunger, whereupon rotation of the means for holding a plurality of cones will cause said plunger to be thrown outwardly with respect thereto, and means engageable by said plunger for eiiecting operation of said stop motion.

3. In a circular knitting machine having a wrap stripe head including a rotary table provided with a plurality of spaced yarn cone holders thereon for holding cones of wrap yarn, said knitting machine also having a stop motion, a stop motion actuating mechanism disposed adjacent the periphery of the table, an improved stop motion control device comprising a bracket secured to-the upper surface of said table adjacent each of said yarn cone holders and having a plunger mounted for movement therein, a pivoted arm pivotally connected to the bracket, means on said pivoted arm for clampingly engagin a tail of yarn from the corresponding cone, a plunger restraining element integral with the outer end of said arm normally engaging the,

outer end of said plunger relative to the axis of the rotary table to limit the outward movement of the plunger from said table, and actuating means on the stop motion actuating mechanism disposed immediately adjacent the periphery of said table whereby, upon the yarn being substantially exhausted from an adjacent cone, the

tail thereof will be pulled upwardly to swing the pivoted arm in a like direction to cause the plunger restraining element thereon to release the plunger thereby permitting the plunger to move outwardly to engage said actuating means for/the stop motion actuating mechanism for stopping the machine.

'4. In a circular knitting machine having a wrap j stripe head including a rotary table provided with "a pluralityof spaced yarn cone holders thereon for holding cones of wrap yarn, said knitting machine also having a stop motion, an improved stop motion control device comprising a bracketsecured to the upper surface of said table adjacent each of said yarn cone holders and having a plunger mounted for movement therein substantially radially oi the axis of said table. a pivoted clamping member pivotally connected to the bracket and having means thereon for anchoring the tail of yam from the corresponding cone thereto, a

plunger restraining portion integral with said pivoted clamping member normally engaging the outer end of said plunger relative to the rotary table to limit outward movement of the plunger which may be imparted thereto by centrifugal force, intermediate stop motion actuating-mechanism disposed immediately adjacent the'periphery of said table and engageable by said plunger upon outward movement thereof whereby,'upon the yarn being substantially exhausted from'a com, the tail thereof will be pulled upwardly to swing the pivoted clamping member in a like direction to cause the plunger restraining portion thereon to release the plunger thereby permitting centrifugal force-to throw the plunger outwardly to engage said intermediate stop motion actuating means for stopping the machine.

5. In a circular knitting machine having a wrap stripe head including a rotary table provided with a plurality of spaced fyarn cone holders thereon for holding cones of wrap yarn,

said knitting machine also having a stop motion, an improved stop motion control device comprising a bracket secured to the upper surface of said table adjacent each of said yarn cone holders and having a plunger mounted for movement therein substantially radially of the axis of said table, a pivoted clamping member pivotally connected to the bracket and having means thereon for anchoring the tail of yarn from the corresponding cone thereto, a plunger restraining portion integral with said pivoted clamping member normally engaging the outer end of said plunger relative to the rotary table to limit outward movement of the plunger which may be imparted thereto by centrifugal force, intermediate stop motion actuating mechanism disposed immediately adjacent the I periphery of said table and engageable by said plunger upon outward movement thereof whereby, upon the yarn being'substantially exhausted from a cone, the tail thereof will be pulled upwardly to swing the pivoted clamping member in a like direction to cause the plunger restraining portionthereon to release the plunger thereby permitting centrifugal force to throw the plunger outwardly to engage said intermediate stop motion actuating means for stopping the machine, said braoket being provided with a rearwardly projecting blade thereon disposed immediately adjacent the plunger restraining portion on said pivoted clamping member while the pivoted clamping member is in normal position to thereby facilitate the severing of the tail of yarn as it is inserted between the pivoted clamping member and its anchoring means.

6. In a circular knitting machine having a wrap stripe head including a rotary table provided with a plurality of spaced yarn cone holders thereon for holding cones of wrap yarn,

said knitting machine also having a stop motion,

proved stop motion control device comprising a bracket secured to the upper surface of said table adjacent each of said yarn cone holders and having a plunger mounted for movement therein, a pivoted arm pivotally connected to the bracket, means on said pivoted arm for clampingly engaging a tail of yarn from the corresponding cone, 9, plunger restraining element integral with the outer end of said arm normally engaging the outer end of said plunger relative to the axis of the rotary table to limit outward movement of the plunger from said table, and said bracket being provided with a rearwardly projecting blade thereon disposed immediately adjacent the plunger restraining element on said pivoted arm while the. ivoted arm is in normal position to thereby facilitate the severing of the tail of yarn as it is inserted in said clamping means on said pivoted arm whereby,'upon the yarn being substantially exhausted from an adjacent cone, the tail thereof will be pulled upwardly to swing the pivoted arm in a like direction to cause the plunger restraining element thereon to release the plunger thereby permitting the plunger to move outwardly to engage said stop motion actuating mechanism for stopping the machine.

7. An improved stop motion control device adapted to be associated with a knitting machine having a wrap stripe mechanism thereon including a rotatable table and wherein said table has mounted on the upper side thereof a plurality of upstanding circularly spaced stobs for holding yarn cones filled with wrap yarn, said knitting machine also having a stop motion actuating mechanism located adjacent the revolving wrap stripe mechanism and said stop motion actuating mechanism having a finger thereon positioned adjacent the periphery of said rotatable table, said improved stop motion control device comprising a bracket made from a relatively thin sheet material, such as metal, and including a planar portion adapted to be secured to the upper side of the table adjacent the periphery thereof and adjacent each of said stobs, a tubular portion formed integral with the planar portion of said bracket, said tubular portion extending radially relative to the axis of said table, said planar portion having an upturned portion thereon closing one end of said tubular portion, a pivot pin extending transversely through said tubular portion at one end thereof, an arm made from relatively thin sheet material normally resting upon said tubular portion and having down-turned ears thereon disposed astride the pivot pin, said pivot pin penetrating said ears for pivotally connecting said arm to the tubular portion, a plunger mounted for radial sliding movement in said tubular portion, a reduced portion integral with the plunger and slidably penetrating the up-turned portion of said bracket, a down-turned tab formed integral with said arm at the outer end thereof and normally positioned outwardly of the up-turned portion of said bracket for normally limiting outward movement of the reduced portion of said plunger, and a leaf spring member secured at one end thereof to the upper surface of said arm whereby, a tail of yarn extending from the corresponding cone may be clampingly secured between the leaf spring member and the arm and, upon substantial exhaustion of the yarn from the corresponding cone, the tail of yarn will cause the arm to move upwardly, thereby moving its tab portion out 10 of the radial plane of the reduced portion of the plunger to permit the plunger to move outwardly to engage the finger of the stop motion actuating mechanism to stop the knitting machine.

8. In a circular knitting machine having a wrap stripe head including a rotary table provided with a plurality of spaced yarn cone holders thereon for holding cones of wrap yarn, said knitting machine also having a stop motion actuating mechanism adjacent the periphery of the table, the combination of an improved stop motion control device comprising a bracket formedfrom sheet metal and having a planar portion adapted to be secured to the upper surface of said table adjacent each of said yarn cone holders, said planar portion being bent or formed upwardly and then over upon itself to form a tubular portion thereon adapted to extend substantially radially of the axis of said table, a plunger mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in said tubular portion, an arm formed from sheet metal, said arm normally resting upon the upper surface of the tubular portion of said bracket, said arm having down-turned portions at opposite sides thereof, said down-turned portions straddling the tubular portion of the bracket, means pivotally connecting the down-turned portions of said arm to the bracket and serving to limit inward movement of said plunger, means in said tubular portion of the bracket limiting outward movement of the plunger, said arm having a plunger limiting tab formed on the free end thereof normally positioned outwardly of the outer end of said tubular portion relative to the axis of the table and also serving to normally limit outward movement of the plunger, which may be imparted thereto by centrifugal force, an upwardly bulging portion on said arm and being provided with slots at opposite ends thereof, a leaf spring member positioned in the upwardly bulging portion and having opposite ends thereof extending through said slots, and said upwardly bulging portion being so formed as to hold the leaf spring member against the upper surface of said arm, whereby a tail of yarn from the corresponding cone may be clamped between the leaf spring member and said arm, and, upon the yarn being substantially exhausted from the cone, the tail thereof will be pulled upwardly to move said arm in a like direction to cause the plunger limiting tab thereon to move out of the horizontal plane of the plunger, thereby permitting centrifugal force to throw the plunger outwardly to engage said stop motion actuating mechanism' to stop the machine. 7

9. In a circular knitting machine having a wrap stripe head including a rotary table provided with a plurality of spaced yarn cone holders thereon for holding cones of wrap yarn, said knitting machine also having a stop motion actuating mechanism adjacent the periphery of the table, an improved stop motion control device comprising a bracket formed from sheet metal and having a planar portion adapted to be secured to the upper surface of said table adjacent each of said yarn cone holders, said planar portion being formed upwardly and then over upon itself to form a tubular portion thereon adapted to extend substantially radially of theaxis of said table, a plunger mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in said tubular portion, an arm formed from sheet metal, said arm normally restin upon the upper surface of the tubular portion of said bracket, said arm having a down-turned portion eas er 7 V i 11 V at each side thereof, said down-turned portions straddlin the tubular portion of the bracket, means pivotally connecting the down-turned portions of said arm to the bracket and serving to limit inward movement of said plunger, means in said tubular portion of the bracket limiting outward movement of the plunger, said arm having a plunger limiting tab formed on the free end thereof normally positioned outwardly of the outer end of said tubular portion relative to the axis of the table and also serving to normally limit outward movement of the plunger, which may be imparted thereto by centrifugal force, a first upwardly bulging projection formed intermediate the ends of said arm, said upwardly bulging portion being provided with slots at opposite ends thereof, a leaf spring member positioned in the upwardly bulging portion and having opposite ends thereof extendin through said slots, said upwardly bulging portion being so formed as to hold the leaf spring member against the upper surface of said arm, said arm also having a second upwardly bulging projection formed therein disposed inwardly of the first upwardly bulgin portion relative to the axis of the table, the leaf spring member having an opening in the end thereof nearest the axis of the table, and the second upwardly bulging projection penetrating said opening in the leaf spring member to assist in securing the leaf spring member to the arm whereby a tail of yarn from the corresponding cone may be clamped between the leaf spring member and said arm and, upon the yarn being substantially exhausted from the cone, the tail thereof will be pulled upwardly to move said arm in a like direction to cause the plunger limiting tab thereon to move out of the horizontal plane of the plunger, thereby permitting centrifugal force to throw the plunger outwardly to engage said stop motion actuating mechanism to stop the machine.

10, In a circular knitting machine having a wrap stripe head including a rotary table provided with a plurality of spaced yarn cone holders thereon for holding cones of wrap yarn, said knitting machine also having a stop motion actuating mechanism adjacent the periphery of the table, the combination of an improved stop motion control device comprising a bracket formed from sheet metal and having a planar portion adapted to be secured to the upper sur-' face of said table adjacent each of said yarn cone holders, said planar portion being bent or formed upwardly and then over upon itself to form a tubular portion thereon adapted to extend substantially radially of the axis of said table, a plunger mounted for longitudinal sliding moveinent in said tubular portion, said planar portion being bent upwardly at its outer end relative to the axis of the table to form a closure tab closing the outer end of said tubular portion for limiting outward movement of the plunger, said plunger having a reduced portion slidably penetr-ating the closure tab, an arm formed from sheet metal, said arm normally resting upon the upper. surface of the tubular portion of said bracket, said arm having down-turned portions at opposite sides thereof, said down-turned portions straddling the tubular portion of the bracket, means pivotally connecting the down-turned portionsof said arm to the bracket, said arm having a plunger limiting'tab formed on the free end thereof normally positioned outwardly of the outer end of said tubular portion relative to the axisbi' the table and serving to normally limit outward movement of the plunger, which may be imparted thereto by centrifugal force, an upwardly bulging portion intermediate the ends of said arm, said upwardly bulging portion being provided with slots at opposite ends thereof, a leaf spring member positioned in the upwardly bulging portion and having opposite ends thereof extending through said slots, and said upwardly bulging portion being so formed as to hold the leaf spring member against the upper surface of said arm, whereby atail of yarn from the corresponding cone may .be clamped between the leaf spring member and said arm and, upon the yarn being substantially exhausted from the cone, the tail thereof will be pulled upwardly to move said arm in a like direction to cause the plunger limiting tab thereon to move out of the horizontal plane of the plunger, thereby permitting centrifugal force to throw the plunger outwardly to engage said stop motion actuating means to stop the machine.

11, In av circular knitting machine having a wrap stripe head including a rotary table provided with a plurality of spaced yarn cone holders thereon for holding cones of wrap yarn, said knitting machine also having a stop motion actuating means adjacent the periphery of the table, the combination of an improved stop motion control device comprising a bracket formed from sheet metal and having a planar portion adapted to be secured to the upper surface of said table adjacent each of said yarn cone holders, said planar portion being bent or formed upwardly and then over upon itself to form a tubular portion thereon adapted to extend substantially radially of the axis of said table, a plunger mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in said tubular portion, said planar portion being bent upwardly at its outer end relative to the axis of the table to form a closure tab closing the outer end of said tubular portion for limiting outward movement of the plunger, said plunger having a reduced portion slidably penetrating the closure tab, an arm formed from sheet metal, said arm normally resting upon the upper surface of the tubular portion of said bracket, said arm having down-turned portions at opposite sides thereof, said down-turned portions straddling the tubular portion of the bracket, means pivotally connecting the down-turned portions of saidarm to the brack id arm ha in a p nger im g tab formed on the e end th e f no mal y posin ed o tw y of the ou r e d of s id. b ar. portion relative to the axis of the table and servzing to r a ly limi outward movem n f t e plunger, which may be imparted thereto by centrifugal force, an upwardly bulging portion inter! mediate the ends of said arm, said upwardly bulge, ing portion being providedwith slots at opposite ends thereof, a leaf spring member positioned in the upwardly bulging portion and having opposite ends thereof extending throughv said slots said upwardly bulging portion being so formed as to hold the leaf spring member against the upper surface of said arm, whereby a tail of'yarnv from the corresponding cone may be clamped tw n the leaf sprin memb r and s id arm' and, upon the yarn being substantially exhausted from the cone, the tail thereof will be pulled upwardly to move said arm in a like direction to cause the plunger limiting tab thereon to move. out of the horizontal plane of the plunger, thereby permitting 'centrifugal force to throw the plunger outwardly to engagesaid stop motion actuating means to stop the machine, said closure tab extending outwardly beyond one side of the tubular portion and then being bent rearwardly to form a cutter portion, and the rear edge of the cutter portion being sharp whereby, the tail of yarn may be severed after it has been manually inserted between the leaf spring member and the arm.

12. In a knitting machine having a revolving Wrap stripe mechanism including a rotatable table having a plurality of circularly spaced stobs thereon for holding yarn cones filled with wrap yarn, a pivoted arm associated with each of said stobs, a first and a second outwardly bulging projection spaced longitudinally on said arm, the first outwardly bulging projection being slotted at opposite ends thereof, a leaf spring member positioned between the first outwardly bulging projection and the pivoted arm and having opposite ends of the leaf spring member extending beyond opposite ends of the first projection, one end of said leaf spring member having an opening therein coinciding with and penetrated by the second projection to prevent longitudinal movement of the leaf spring member relative to said pivoted arm, said first outwardly bulging projection being so formed as to cause the leaf spring member to bear against the pivoted arm whereby a tail from the associated cone of yarn may be inserted between the leaf spring member and said arm for clampingly securing the same thereto, a movable plunger carried by said rotatable table in association with each of said pivoted arms, a plunger restraining tab integral with said arm and normally disposed outwardly of the outer end of each of the plungers for normally preventing outward movement of the corresponding plunger, exhaustion of the yarn from any of said cones causing movement of said corresponding movable pivoted arm to move the plunger restraining tab away from the outer end of said corresponding plunger, said plunger being adapted to move outwardly relative to said table by centrifugal force upon the plunger restraining tab on the corresponding pivoted arm moving away from the outer end of the plunger, intermediate stop motion actuating mechanism disposed adjacent the revolving wrap stripe mechanism, and said plungers being adapted to actuate said intermediate stop motion actuating mechanism to stop the knitting machine upon exhaustion of yarn from one or more of said cones.

13. In a circular knitting machine having a wrap stripe head including a rotary table provided with a plurality of spaced yarn cone holders thereon for holding cones of wrap yarn, said knitting machine also having a stop motion actuating mechanism adjacent the periphery of the table, the combination of an improved stop motion control device comprising a bracket formed from sheet metal and having a planar portion adapted to be secured to the upper surrace of said table adjacent each of said yarn cone holders, said planar portion being bent or formed upwardly and then over upon itself to form a tubular portion thereon adapted to extend substantially radially of the axis of said table, a plunger mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in said tubular portion, an arm formed from sheet metal, said arm normally resting upon the upper surface of the tubular portion of said bracket, said arm having downturned portions at opposite sides thereof, said down-turned portions straddling the tubular portion of the bracket, means pivotally connecting the down-turned portions of said arm to the bracket and serving to limit inward movement of the plunger in said tubular portion of the bracket, said arm having a plunger limiting tab formed on the free end thereof normally positioned outwardly of the outer end of said tubular portion relative to the axis of the table and serving to normally limit outward movement of the plunger, which may be imparted thereto by centrifugal force, an upwardly bulging portion intermediate the ends of said arm, said upwardly bulging portion being provided with slots at opposite ends thereof, a leaf spring member positioned in the upwardly bulging portion and havin opposite ends thereof extending through said slots, and said upwardly bulging portion being so formed as to hold the leaf spring member against the upper surface of said arm, whereby a tail of yarn from the corresponding cone may be clamped between the leaf spring member and said arm and, upon the yarn being substantially exhausted from the cone, the tail thereof will be pulled upwardly to move said arm in a like direction to cause the plunger limiting tab thereon to move out of the horizontal plane of the plunger, thereby permitting centrifugal force to throw the plunger outwardly to engage said stop motion actuating means to stop the machine.

WILLIAM C. TUCKER.

No references cited. 

